Well, it wasn’t much of a summer in the end - it seems hard to believe that the nights are already drawing in and the kids are back at school. However, a postcard through my letter box got me thinking how the remote working model in the IT department really has changed over the last few years.

Although summers in the IT department are busier than they’ve ever been, the ability to spend time out of the office to enjoy the odd hour of sunshine is now a much more viable prospect – if only we had more opportunity to use it this summer.

Without a doubt, corporate working culture is now far more supportive of this - it is no longer necessary to be tied to your desk. The concept of occasionally working from home is now widely accepted, meaning staff can avoid unpleasant summertime traffic jams and train journeys. There are also numerous business benefits of remote working - from increased motivation, productivity and retention, to better customer service and considerable reductions in travel costs and C02 emissions.

Obviously, the increasing prevalence of 3G technologies in both laptops and mobile phones have made this much more viable - people are now able to stay in touch almost regardless of where they are.

Staff with scarce and essential skills can now take time off, or work remotely with less restriction - being out of the office no longer means they will be unable to apply their specialist knowledge if needed in an emergency. People who once never dared to be out of the office at month-end can take time off and go away, knowing that they can fix problems remotely if needed.

Mobile broadband also helps to make the transition from the sun lounger abroad back to the office far less stressful. The ability to catch up on unread emails via push email is now a great way to make use of the odd minutes which can really add up on the journey home - in taxis, trains, airport lounges and soon even on planes. It’s often difficult to return to work on a cold September morning - knowing there’ll be no ugly surprises when you walk through the door certainly helps.

With the technology and corporate culture in place to support more flexible working patterns, now all we need is a summer to make use of it – maybe next year...